The Bright Side — Jamie Askari

I’m a proud great-auntie to three amazing little ones. My youngest great-nephew was born last summer, just a day after my mom’s birthday. He’s the first child of the next generation of our family to be born locally. We gather around him at family get-togethers and are in awe of…

“I accuse Colonel Mustard in the conservatory with a revolver.” Wait, does anyone have a conservatory in their home, and if so, what is it? Is colonel pronounced “col-o-nel” or with the letter “r”? If any of the above rings a bell, then, like me, you grew up playing Clue,…

I’m the ultimate planner — just ask my family. Knowing the next life steps for my husband, my children, and myself offers me a sense of peace and calm. Because of that, I’m constantly planning and trying to organize our lives. Planning is especially important when a family member is…

Recently, for a column I was writing, I was looking for a good definition of Parkinson’s disease. I’m always amazed that much of the information out there about Parkinson’s disease doesn’t apply to my husband, Arman, and his experience with the condition. Many articles focus on tremors and…

I’ve always heard that mourning doves symbolize peace, hope, renewal, and love. While I’m unsure if this old wives’ tale is accurate, I can be sure that the nest of mourning doves on my patio brings me abundant happiness and a sense of peace. Almost immediately after we moved into…

As a young girl growing up in the 1970s, reading was my favorite pastime. We had no cellphones, internet, or Snapchat then, and only three TV channels via a rabbit-ear antenna. So I read a lot. I loved Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary and read almost…

I remember when my kids were small and I’d hear the patter of tiny feet running toward my bedside, usually at 3 a.m. I knew the reason would be one of two things: the stomach flu or a bad dream. If it was the latter, I breathed a sigh of…

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the short phrase “PD-friendly” (PD being Parkinson’s disease). I wonder if others use this phrase. Or did I just make it up myself? At any rate, what does it mean to me to be PD-friendly? Let’s discuss. Living with Parkinson’s disease…

When my husband, Arman, was diagnosed in 2009 with early-onset Parkinson’s disease at the age of 38, it felt nearly impossible to find anything positive about our situation. At the time, we were parents of three young children, and Arman was busy building his career as a physician.

Early one morning a few weeks ago, I was in the bathroom drying my hair, which usually takes about 30 minutes every few days. I stood in front of the mirror with the dryer fan on high, hoping to get through the job as quickly as possible. My hair dryer…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with vitamin B1. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Last fall, at my support group for Parkinson’s caregivers, I learned about vitamin B1, or high-dose thiamine, for the management…

My most treasured moments come from just a handful of days in my life. The first was the sunny, beautiful day in July 1995 when I married my husband, Arman. Then there are the times I first held each of my three children, just seconds after they were born. Many…